Bang
by ClairaKitty
Summary: Started as a Once-ler suicide fic, and has grown. A retelling of the Once-ler's story, starting from the beginning.
1. Chapter 1

_Thwak_

The Once-ler froze, and he and the Lorax turned simultaneously to watch the pink-tufted truffula tree fall.

"That's it," the Lorax sighed, "The very last one." He looked at the green-suited man, "That may stop you."

The Once-ler's eyes widened as reality hit him like a ton of bricks. He stood shakily and surveyed the desolate wasteland that had once been a beautiful valley.

"The last one?" he croaked, disbelieving.

"Do you see any others, Beanpole? Me either. They're gone."

Behind the Lorax were the animals that had thrived in the valley. For the first time the Once-ler realized how thin they were. How the swomee swans feathers were falling out, how the humming fish no longer hummed. They looked up at him with glassy eyes and he took a few steps back, holding up his hands.

"Look, I don't want any trouble…"

"And you won't get any," the Lorax said sadly, "Not from them."

With that the animals turned and walked down the path, do what they hoped was somewhere better.

_"Melvin?" _the Once-ler gasped. The Once-ler's faithful mule looked at him sadly but continued walking with the other animals. "Hey, Pipsqueak!" The baby bar-ba-loot looked up at him with big, sad eyes and shook his head.

The man's shoulders slumped. Gone. They're gone. He turned to face the Lorax. He had to say something, anything, but the guardian of the forest just shook is head. It's too late.

With that, the mustached being lifted himself by the seat of his pants, ascending into a hole in the smog.

"NO!" the Once-ler cried, stretching out a hand, "No, come back! Don't leave me!" He fell to his knees, watching as his last friend abandoned him. Burying his face in his hands, he wept.

In the clouds, the Lorax watched his old friend without sympathy. Perhaps he'll atone for all he's done. He watched as his family abandoned and disowned him. As the sun set at the ravaged valley, the Once-ler ascended to his room, tears still flowing down his face. For the first time the Lorax saw the bags beneath his blue eyes, and how his perfectly tailored green suit hung on his thin frame.

He shoved open the door and began rummaging through the drawer of his night stand, searching for something. After a moment, he drew out something. A gun.

_What are you doing, Beanpole? _the Lorax thought as he surveyed the scene.

The Once-ler crossed the room to his window. Taking deep, shuddering breaths, he looked out at the damage he'd caused. His resolve strengthened, he lifted the gun, pressing the barrel of it to his temple.

_Is he…no! He can't, without him how will the trees come back?_

Unaware of the Lorax's plight, he closed his eyes.

"Please forgive me."

He pulled the trigger.


	2. Chapter 2

((Holy crap you guys. I certainly didn't expect anyone to read this, let alone two reviews! Good reviews even! Thank you Oncie's Sweetheart and bean-art1, it means a lot to me you took the time to write a review.

It was meant to end with his death, when he pulled the trigger. Hence the name, 'Bang'. But, I'd kinda like to continue, and, well, you wanted me to. So, it has two endings. One ends with him pulling the trigger, and for the other, erase the last two lines and pick up here.))

"Please forgive me."

His finger twitched, as if to pull the trigger. But he couldn't. He sat there with tears streaming down his face before crying out in frustration, hurling the gun across the room. It went off as it hit the ground, blowing a hole in the wall.

"Dammit!" he yelled, slumping to the floor and burying his head in his hands. His thin body racked with sobs.

The Lorax breathed a sigh of relief. _You aren't gettin' outta this that easily, Beanpole._

He stands, his legs shaky. Crossing the room, he glances in the mirror. What he sees isn't him. It couldn't be. In the mirror was a monster, consumed by greed.

He recoils in horror, searching for something, anything, to destroy the...thing in the mirror. Grabbing the well-worn handle of his axe, he swings it, shattering the mirror. Glass shards rain down on the Once-ler, covering his arms and face in shallow cuts. He swings it again, this time lodging it in the wood of the mirror.

He spins around in a craze. He look at the framed photo if his mother. His beautiful mother. The one who claimed to love him, but abandoned him the moment things went wrong. Drawing back his fist, he punches the frame, shattering the glass. He claws through the photo with his fingers. On the other side of the mirror was a poster.

"'Too big to fail'. Yeah right!" he snarled, tearing through the poster. His nails bled, and his elegant suit was covered in tears, blood leaking through each gash.

The Lorax watches his tantrum, slightly unnerved. Outbursts weren't exactly rare with the Once-ler, particularly after his business took off, but they were never this...destructive.

The Once-ler took a few steadying breaths, looking around the room for something. His gaze landed on his bed. Dragging the mattress onto the floor, he kicked apart the wooden frame and dragged the wooden remains to the window.

"I don't deserve to see outside," he growled, taking the wooden planks and nailing them across the window, "I don't deserve to leave this place ever again."

He hammered the last nail, falling into a chair. He buried his face in his hands.

"What have I done?"

((Thanks to TheRaven'sComputerDesk for telling me about the typo.))


	3. Brief Update

AN: So guys, I'm honestly lost on where to go from here. I'm considering skipping forward about 40 years to Ted, and then retelling the story of the Lorax, from the Once-ler's point of view, only starting from the beginning as opposed to where he does in the movie. Whatd'ya think?


	4. Chapter 3

The Once-ler sat at his desk, as usual. As he had for almost fifty years now. There wasn't much to do in a Lerkim, so he read. Lately he'd taken to drawing on the walls. By now, he was simply drawing over his drawings, but at least it was something to do. Sighing, he reached into his pocket, drawing out something small and round.

The last truffula seed.

"Perhaps the Lorax was wrong...it's been so long, and no one has come..."

Fate would have it was at that exact moment the doorbell rang. The Once-ler stood, banging his head on the ceiling. Cursing, he peered out the window to see who could possibly be here. A boy, no older than 12, was currently being lifted in the air by his contraption. The Once-ler allowed himself a smirk. It worked well. Then, back to business.

"Who are you?" he snarled, "Who are you and what are you doing here?" He reached out with green-gloved hands, grabbing at the boy.

"I'm Ted! I'm Ted!" he cried out, "Are you...are you the Once-ler?"

"That depends."

"On _what?_"

"On why _you _want to know!"

The claw lowered him to the ground. "Get out! And leave me alone!" he called down. "And don't let the boot hit you on the way out," he sneered.

"The _boot?_" A boot then slammed into his side. "Hey! Listen, someone said that if I bring you this stuff, you'll tell me about trees!"

The Once-ler froze, eyes widening. "T-trees?"

"Yeah! You know, real ones! That grow out of the ground?"

He didn't respond.

"He-LLO?"

The Once-ler shook his head, clearing it. "I'm sorry, I just...I didn't think anyone still _cared_ about trees!"

"Well, that's me! The guy who still cares!"

"You wanna learn about _trees?_ About what _happened_ to them? Why they're all gone...it's because of me..."

"I'm sorry, what?"

He scowled, sending down his whisper-ma-phone. Making sure Ted's ear was fully up to the horn, he bellowed "IT'S BECAUSE OF _ME!_"

He derived some pleasure from watching Ted stumbled back in shock, chuckling softly. He then sighed, settling down for a long story.

"It all started a long time ago-"

"Can we start not so long ago, maybe?"

He frowned, wondering if the kid _really_ wanted to know. "Do you want a tree?"

"Yes! Yes..." Ted grumbled.

"Then it all started, a long," he paused, "_Long_, time ago!"

((Okay guys, this was essentially the word-for-word recap of that scene from the movie- at least, as word-for-word as I can remember off the top of my head. The next chapter will be new.))


	5. Chapter 4

"It all started when my father left me. I was a young lad, barely even six. Yet I still remember the day as if it were yesterday...

A small boy hung on the leg of his father, sobbing. "Don't leave me, daddy! Don't leave me!"

It's easy to see they were related, sharing the same black hair and blue eyes. On the porch stood his mother, clutching twin 10-year-olds to her. "Oncie, come back sweetie, leave your father be. He's made his decision." Her voice was sharp and cold, something he wasn't used to but would come to be very familiar with.

"D-daddy!" Oncie whimpered, but he just plucked him off his leg and set him down on the ground.

"I'll be back for you, Oncie. I'm not leaving for good." Oncie's mother, Isabella, glared but said nothing. And with that, his father got in the car and drove off, leaving his son sobbing in the dirt. It was the last time the Once-ler ever saw his father.

"Oncie, hurry up and get ready for school!"

"I'm coming, Mama!"

The Once-ler, now 10, rushed to hide his knitting supplies as he got ready for school. He couldn't let his mom see them, or-

"_Oncie_, what did I tell you about that..._knitting?_" she sneers the word knitting as she stands in his doorway, arms crossed.

"It's unmanly and worthless..." he mumbled, staring at the ground.

"Than why do you keep doing it, Oncie?" she said, her voice sickly sweet. A tone more terrifying than yelling.

"I-I dunno, Mama..." he said quietly, closing his eyes and bracing himself. There is nothing for a moment, and then a stinging slap across his cheek. He clutches his face, holding back tears. She grabs his chin, forcing him to look up at her.

"You _better not do it again_," she hissed, grabbing his knitting supplies, his creations both finished and unfinished, and walking out the door. "And don't forget to get ready for school!"

"Yes, Mama," he choked out, gathering his school supplies and running down the stairs to meet his brothers. A vibrant red handprint stood out on his cheek, but Brett and Chet said nothing. He adjusted his hat to cover most of his face, hefting his backpack.

"Bye boys! Be sure to hurry so you don't miss the bus, we were a bit _held up_." She shot Oncie a dirty look before resuming her sweet smile and waving.

Brett and Chet ran ahead, shoving each other playfully and laughing. Oncie lagged behind, each step dragging.

"C'mon, Oncie, hurry up or you'll miss the bus!" Brett called back. He was right, the bus had already pulled up. He began running, but Brett and Chet were already there and it started to pull out. Then it stopped. The Once-ler jumped in, thanking the bus driver. The bus driver glared at him, "You better hurry up, boy, next time I'm not waiting."

Flushing, Oncie searched for an empty seat, but the only spot was next to a girl he'd never met, a short girl with curly brown hair.

"D-do you mind if I sit here?" he asked, looking at the ground.

She looked up, "Hm? Oh, yeah sure." She pushed her backpack to the floor to make room for him. He sat awkwardly, as far from the girl as possible.

She frowned. "I don't bite y'know. I'm Norma."

"I'm the O-once-ler."  
"Once-ler? That's a funny name."

He narrowed his eyes, "It's THE Once-ler, and it's not a funny name!" He crossed his arms huffily, looking the opposite direction.

"Geez, sensitive much?"

He doesn't respond. Rolling her eyes, she went back to her book. But it isn't long before she looks up again. "How old are you? You look familiar."

"I'm ten," he said stiffly.

"Me too! Are you in Mrs. Rivenwarst's class?"

"Yes."

"Me too! I _knew_ you looked familiar! You always sit in the back of the class, right? Because you're so tall?'

"It's _because_ I don't like being _bugged _by _people_," he said, looking at her pointedly. She didn't take the hint.

"Ooh, me _too!_ This one time, I was paired up with Billy, and he-"

She chattered his ear off the entire bus ride, and he couldn't wait to be free of her. But he also felt strangely...wanted.


	6. Chapter 5

_BRING BRING BRING!_

The entirety of Oncie's class jumped out of their seats, running out the doors as fast as they could while Mrs. Rivenwarst called out their homework. Everyone but Oncie himself. He went as slow as possible, feet dragging.

"Are you okay?"

He jumped back and shrieked, which he would deny later.

"It's just me, silly! Norma!" she laughed, "Did I scare you?"

"Pfft, no! I wasn't scared! You just...surprised me!"

She snorted, "Sure. So, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's _wrong_!" he snapped.

"Then, why haven't you left class yet? Everyone else ran as fast as they could and you're putting away your pencils one by one."

"I could say the same for you!"

"I left my notebook in here."

"Oh..."

She plopped down on a desk, looking up at him. "So, why are you still here?"

He groaned, "Why do yo keep bugging me? It's none of your business!"

"Sooo? I'm curious!"

"You're irritating is what you are. I just...don't want to go home."

"Well that's new. Most people can't wait to get home, myself included."

"Then why don't you leave, so you can go home?"

"I'll leave when you do."

He buried his face in his hands. Why now? "What do you _want_ from me?"

"I told you, why don't you want to go home?"

"Because I don't, okay! It isn't any of your business!" he stepped in front of her, and he towered over her as he glared. She was nonplussed.

"Ooh, I'm so scared," she mocked.

He narrowed his eyes before throwing his backpack over his shoulder and fast-walking out of the room.

"Hey, wait!" Norma called, but Oncie ignored her. She ran to catch up with him, and he rolled his eyes, speeding up. "Come on!"

"No thanks." he walked past the bus.

"Hey, aren't you taking the bus?"

"I wanted to walk today."  
"I will too then!"

"_WHAT?" _he spun around, coming to a halt. Norma stopped as well.

"If you're walking, I'm walking."

"You don't even know where I live!"

"No, but I know where I live, and it's this direction. I'll turn when I have to."

"Is there anything I can do to stop you?"

"Nope."

He groaned, "You're so irritating!"

She rolled her eyes, "Thanks." She took off again and looked back at him, "You coming or not?"

"I don't exactly have a choice." he trudged after her. It was much like the bus ride, with her chattering on inanely while he tuned her out.

"Hello?" she had stopped and was facing him, arms crossed. He jumped a bit before glaring.

"What?"

"I _said_, where do you live?" she narrowed her eyes, "Have you been listening at all?"

"Not, not at all. Why do you ask?"

"Rude. I was wondering how far we'd walk together before we had to split up."

"I live at the edge of town, 32 Mapleberry Road."

"Oh, that's really far away." She paused, "This is my turn."  
"About time."

"Ha, ha." She hefted her backpack and took off running down the street, looking over her shoulder, "I'll see you tomorrow Once!"

He rolled his eyes and continued walking.

_Once...?_

Ted interrupted, "Hey, this is great and all. You're irritating classmate is very interesting. But, um, when are we going to get to the trees?"

The Once-ler frowned, again doubting this kids desire to get a tree. "Why are you so interested in trees, anyway? I didn't think kids your age would even know what they are."

"Well, I dunno, I just thought it be cool to, y'know, have one..." his voice petered out. The Once-ler thought for a moment.

"Come back tomorrow, then you can hear the rest."

"What? _Tomorrow?_ Do you know how hard it is to get here? You live in the middle of _no where_, it _stinks_ out here, don't make me come back!"

"Well then, I guess _you_ don't want to hear the rest of the story." The Once-ler tried not to show it, but he was disappointed. He turned out his light.

"Wait, I do wanna hear the rest of the story!"

He didn't respond.

Ted frowned, before rolling his eyes, grumbling. "Fine, alright, I'll come back! See, here I am! Leaving!"

No response.

"I'll see ya tomorrow!"

The Once-ler peered out from between the gaps in the boards, watching the boy hop on some strange one-wheeled contraption and drive off.

"Maybe..." he mused before climbing into bed.


	7. Chapter 6

((Wow, thank you all! I didn't expect this to get ANY notice, let alone so much! It's you guys that keep me writing more (: ))

"Where weren't you on the bus with your brothers?"

Oncie cowered as his mother yelled. They were practically the same height, but she seemed to grow and he seemed to shrink whenever they got into a confrontation.

"I-I just felt like walking, Mama," he mumbled.

"Do you know how worried we were? If you'd disappeared we would've had to make all these nasty calls; we'd be suspect!"

"B-but I didn't Mama, I'm right here."

"Don't sass me, Oncie," she hissed, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt. She let go and smiled sweetly. "Now, Oncie, go do your homework like a good boy."

"Yes Mama." He scampered up the stairs, fighting tears the whole way.

"Wake _up!_"

Oncie jerked awake to his mother shaking him roughly.

"You overslept, you lazy child! You're going to miss the bus!"

He shook sleep from his eyes, looking up at her in confusion. She grabbed his arm, yanking him out of bed and to the floor. He cried out.

"Get _up_ or so help me Oncie!"

He got to his feet, frantically pulling on jeans and a shirt. His mother threw his back pack to him, causing him to stumble.

"I already sent your brothers to the bus, so you _better_ hurry!"

He ran down the stairs and out the door, pulling on his shoes as he ran. He rounded the corner just in time to see the bus door close.

"No, wait!"

His calls went unheeded, and he was left on the corner watching his only mode of transport drive off.

"Ugh!" he yelled, chucking his backpack as far as he could, eyes welling with tears. After a moment he sighed, walking to pick up his backpack as he trudged in the direction the bus had gone.

An hour later, he finally arrived at the doors, 45 minutes after school had started. He threw his backpack into his locker and ran to class.

_Knock knock. _

"Norma, dear, could you get the door?"

The door swung open, and Norma's eyes widened. "Once-ler? What-"

"Mr. Once-ler."

Mrs. Rivenwarst was suddenly looming behind Norma. Norma squeaked, scampering back to her desk.

"You're late."

_No duh. _"I-I'm sorry, Ma'am, it won't happen again."

"_Why_ are you late?"

He looked at the ground, mumbling "I missed the bus."

"Speak up, boy!"

"I missed the bus." He blushed as the class laughed.

Mrs. Rivenwarst glared at him, "It _better _not happened _again_. _Sit down!"_

"Yes, Ma'am," he mumbled, dragging his feet and staring at the ground as he walked to the back of the room.

"What a sad story. My heart is breaking. But if we go at this pace I'll be you're age when we finish."

The Once-ler glared at the boy, though Ted couldn't see him, "I'd tone down the sarcasm some if I were you. I can stop talking whenever I feel like it and you can kiss your _tree _GOODBYE!"

"Fine, fine, I get it. Calm down. I'll be back tomorrow, Gramps."

"'Gramps'? Who're you calling 'Gramps' you little-"

Ted drove off, leaving a grumbling Once-ler behind. But though he'd never admit it, he looked forward to Ted's next visit.


	8. Chapter 7

((AN: Hey! Sorry it took me so long to update, it's quite a bit longer than usual, and I started high school Tuesday. Either way, it's here now!))

"Hey, Once-ler!"

The Once-ler peered out of his Lurkim. "You're late today."

"Yeah, yeah, sorry," he said, his 'apology' hurried an insincere, "I was picking up these from the store." He held up a bag of something small and white.

"Ooh!" he exclaimed, irritation with his lateness forgotten, "Marshmallows!" He sent down a bucket, and Ted placed them in it. "Thank you, Ted," he grinned, popping marshmallows into his mouth. "Now, I suppose I can speed up the story some."

"Norma and I sat together on the bus every day, and I had begun to tolerate her presence, much in the way I tolerate yours..."

Oncie doodled in his notebook, lost in his dreamworld. He was sketching an idea he'd had, a unique creation that would mold itself to your needs. A thing everyone needs.

"Thing needed...a thneed!"

His reverie was interrupted as the bell rang. Sighing, he closed his sketchbook and began packing his bookbag.

"Once?"

He looked down at Norma, rolling his eyes. "Yes?"

"Can I come to your house after school?"

He wasn't expecting that. He looked at her for a moment, brow wrinkled in confusion.

"Well, can I?"

"Why?"

She rolled her eyes, "My mom isn't going to be home, so she said tgo find a friend to hang with until she got back."

"Cool, why don't you go talk to one of your _friends_ then?"

She sneered at him, "I _am_."

"What about the friends who actually like you?"

She rolled her eyes again, "Tilly has dance, and Anamarie's going to see her cousin. C'mon, Oncie, it'll be fun!"

He groaned, "Fine. Fine! But I doubt it'll be fun. And _don't_ call me Oncie."

Norma grinned and followed him to the bus. Try as he might, Oncie couldn't banish the niggling worry about what his mother would think. But she'd be proud of him, wouldn't she? He never brought friends home

"Last stop, kids, everybody off."

Only a few kids were left, including Brett, Chet, Oncie, and Norma.

The bus driver put out a hand, blocking Norma. A

"Seems like we have a stowaway," he grinned, looking at the girl.

"I'm going home with the Once-ler," she said, jaw set defiantly as she looked up at him.

"Sorry, lass, but I'm going to need permission from his mother-"

"That's quite alright, dear, she's coming with me."

The bus driver smiled, "Isabella!"

Her smile was sickly sweet, and her eyes shot daggers at Oncie. He shrank back, and Norma looked at him in confusion.

"C'mere, Oncie, introduce me to your friend." She grabbed his arm. Unbeknownst to those around them, her manicured nails dug into the flesh of his arm. He gritted his teeth, tears welling in his eyes.

"Mama, this is Norma," he croaked, "She's a friend from school."

She laughed: a high, tinkling laugh that grated on his ears like broken glass and filled him with fear.

"And you didn't think to _ask_ me before you invited her over?"

"She didn't have anywhere to go."

"Her parents kicked her out, did they? Poor dear," she simpered, her mocking tone contrasting her words.

"No, my mom's just working late today so I had to go to a friends house."

"Oh, of course. Well, you're welcome here until your mom comes home consider my son was considerate enough to invite you over." She tightened her grip with each enunciated word, and the Once-ler's face contorted in pain. Brett and Chet looked away.

"I think you're hurting him," Norma said, frowning. Oncie looked up at her with wide eyes, shaking his head frantically.

"Oh no dear, he's just fine." Her knuckles were white, and a squeak of pain escaped his lips. Norma opened her mouth as if to retort, but Oncie pleaded with his eyes, mouthing the word 'Please'. She was shocked to see the aloof, sarcastic, cynical boy from school begging, and was slightly unnerved by the sight. She closed her mouth tightly, nodding slightly.

"Alright, Norma, our house is this'a way," she cooed, dragging Oncie by his arm. He struggled to keep up.

"Here we are! Norma, why don't yo put your stuff in Oncie's room? I'd like to talk to him." Her smile didn't reach her eyes. Norma pretended to start up the stairs but crouched behind a corner instead, listening.

"You should know better than to do things without _my _permission, Oncie."

"I-it was kinda last minute, Mama. No one else could have her, a-and I thought-"

"_Thought_?" she laughed derisively, "Since when do _you _ever _think_?"

"I-I'm sorry, Mama, I won't do it again."

Her voice lowered, and Norma had to strain to hear. "It better not." Her voice was then loud and cheery again. "Oh dear, Oncie, it looks like you've hurt your arm. You should go clean that up."

"Yes, Mama." He thundered up the stairs, and Norma didn't even try to hide. He yelped when he saw her standing there.

"N-norma! Hey. H-how long were you-"

"Why do you let her push you around like that?" she snapped, "It's horrible and cruel!"

"She's just disciplining me. She loves me, she does," he said in the manner of one convincing themselves.

"She loves you, does she? Because _that_ doesn't look like 'discipline' to me." She gestured to his arm. His whole bicep was red and, and the welts left by his mother's nail bled, and were surrounded by a purple bruise.

"Obviously _you've _never been disciplined then. Explains a lot when you think about it."

She ignored the jibe, instead placing her hands on her hips and looking up at him. "Let me ask you this then, 'Oncie'. Does she ever 'discipline' your brothers?"

"Well...No, but she just...I need it more than they do. She loves me, that's why she does it."

"You keep saying that, but do you believe it?"

"Of course I do!" he snapped, but his eyes said otherwise.

"Maybe you should go home."

The two children jumped, spinning to see Isabella behind him. Her cold smile was fixed, her eyes furious.

"Mom, no-"

"_Don't talk back to me, Oncie,_" she snarled, "I can't have someone who doubts my parenting style in this house. Walk her home. Now."  
"Yes, Mama."  
"Go."

They bolted out the door, grabbing their stuff.

"Lead the way, Norma," he said dully.

She tried many times to start a conversation, but he responded with two words or less, staring at the ground.

"By, Once, I'll see you tomorrow!" she called as they reached her house.

"K," he mumbled, trudging back in the direction they'd come. Norma watched him worriedly, but could think of nothing to say.

_SLAP._

He reeled back, clutching his face.

"Don't you _ever_ disobey me again, y'here me?"

"Yes, Mama."

"I don't want you to talk to that girl anymore."  
"But Mama-!"

"_DON'T. TALK. BACK. TO. ME." _she yelled, and Oncie clammed up. She never yelled. "Never again!"

"Yes Mama..."


	9. Chapter 8

"Hey, Once! Are you okay?"

He sped up, hoping to leave her behind. But she ran to catch up.

"Hey! I'm talking to you! Are you ignoring me?"

He lowered his head, pulling the hood of his jacket down further.

"I know you can hear me! If you don't answer me, I'll-"  
"You'll _what_, Norma? What'll you do?" He spun to face her, glowering.

"Once, your face..."

He looked down, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do!" Reaching up, she yanked his hood down, revealing a bruised cheek and a swollen lip. She gasped.

"What? It's not that bad." Glaring at her, he pulled his hood up again.

"Once, that's awful!"

He turned away, continuing walking. "It's been worse."

_Woah woah woah woah woah, are you saying you actually listened to your mom?_

"What?"

The Once-ler halted his story, narrowing his eyes at Ted.

"You listened to your mom? You started ignoring your _only friend_?"

"Well, would _you_ have disobeyed your mother like that? I hate to think I'm the only one who ever did what their parents say."

"Well, it's different for me, my mom has _reasonable _requests. She also doesn't _hit me_."

"Kid, it's in the past. Let it go."

"But-"

"_Do you really think anything you say is going to change anything?_ Just let me _finish the story_ or _go home_!"

"Alright, alright."

"Once! Once-ler, you listen to me!"

"What do you _want_ Norma?"

"I know that I _don't _want you to just walk off and ignore me! We can fix this! You won't have to live with your mother anymore!"

He looked at her over his shoulder, "Well, we can't always get what we want, now can we?"

It was the last time he'd talk to her for years.

_Years? You didn't talk to her for years. Because of your mom._

_Ted?_

_Yes?_

_Stop. Interrupting. The story. Anyways, I graduated high school with average grades, and I wasted no time leaving to find my destiny..._

The Once-ler, now a tall man just over 18 years of age, stood by his wagon. His faithful mule, Melvin, was hooked to it, looking bored.

"Whelp! Here I go mom. Off to change the world with my thneed."

"Well, alright, but just remember Oncie, if you invention turns out to be a failure instead of a success," a smirk broke through her 'concerned' façade, "Why, it wouldn't surprise me at all!"

His entire family joined in her derisive laughter, and Oncie looked away, hiding his hurt. Brett punched him in the arm, "Nice wheels! Burn!"

Melvin kicked him in the stomach, and Brett went flying. Oncie rubbed his arm. "Yeah, 'burn'," he mimicked her brother's accent, "Well, you'll see! C'mon, Melvin." He snapped the reigns, and off they rode, with his family calling out jibes behind them.

It took many months of riding. He passed the time by playing his guitar and singing. He sang nonsense words, "Na na na"s and "doo doop da doop"s.

He was asleep when he found...paradise.

_Paradise? Where?_

_Ted, you've interrupted the story so many times today..._

_Where was it?_

_Get out of my flashback, kid._

_Coughs. Anyways, I found...paradise._

Melvin kicked the seat, waking the Once-ler.

"Agh!" he yelped, boltin up. "Come on, Melvin, I'm sure we'll be there- Woah."

He looked around with wide eyes, taking in the bright colors.

Trees! 20 feet tall, with thin, swaying trunks, black and white banded, and long, brightly colored tufts at the top. The whole whole valley smelled of a smell that can only be described as butterfly milk, and the Once-ler hopped onto the ground, awestruck. Adorable bears plucked ripe purple fruits, fish..._sang_ in the crystal blue river, songbirds flew across the sky.

He started walking, and heard an indignant squeak. Looking down, he saw he had almost stepped on a _fish._ On _land_, Giving him what can only be described as a dirty look, it walked off on its fins.

"I...What?" Shaking his head in bewilderment, he continued walking, taking care to watch where he stepped. Grabbing his axe, he looked up at a tree, grinning. A few curious animals peered around trunks and from behind rocks. He threw a few practice swings, and the animals stared with wide eyes.

_Thwack_.

The animals shrank back in horror.

_Thwack_.

They scattered.

_Thwack_.

The tree swayed before crashing to the ground. The Once-ler smiled proudly before grabbing it by the base of the trunk and struggling to drag it to his tent.

Unbeknownst to the Once-ler, the animals gathered around the tree stump. The clouds gathered in a spiral, with the stump at the center. The wind blew, and a bolt of blue lightning struck where the tree once was.

_Plop._

The Once-ler whistled as he collected the truffula tufts, throwing them into a sack and dancing around a bit. He reached for another tuft, but something was attached to it.

"Asfhlkdghkl!" He jumped back, scuttling along the ground as a fuzzy...orange..._thing_ climbed onto the tree trunk, glaring at him.

"Did you chop down this tree?"

"Um...no...Who did it?" he gasped, "Look over there!" When the...thing looked, he dropped his ax on a nearby bar-ba-loot. "I think he did it."

The creature was not amused.

"Leave! Vacate the premises and _get out_!"

The Once-ler frowned, "Aaaand, _who_ are you?"  
The thin sputtered, "I-I'm the Lorax! Guardian of the forest. I speak for the trees."

"Not ringing any bells."

"So, you're saying you didn't see me just magically appear outta that stump? With all the lightning and stuff?"

"No, but that sounds _amazing_. Can I see some of that?"  
"Yeah, I could show ya...but that's not how it works."

"Ah. Okay. Um...didn't really happen."

The Lorax scowls and hops off the trunk, standing beside a peg for his tent. The Once-ler raises his eyebrow. The Lorax kicks the peg out.

"Hey!" Oncie exclaims, running over and hammering it back into the ground. "Mustache!"

He kicks out another,

"What's your _deal_, man?"

"Time for you to go, Beanpole."

"Just keep pulling them out, they're going right back in."  
They circled the tent for a few minutes, with the Lorax kicking out the pegs and Oncie hammering them in.

"WAIT!"

The Once-ler looked at what he was holding and yelped, dropping a fuzzy brown bear he'd been this close to pounding into the ground.

"So you'd _hammer_ one of nature's innocent creatures?"

"What? No! I'd never hit this little guy," he looked at the other animals pleadingly, searching for sympathy. There was none. He glared at the Lorax, "_You_ on the other hand, I'd _gladly_ pound you _and _your mustache _into the ground_!" He raised his hammer threateningly.

The Lorax turned to face the animals, "Behold! The intruder, and his violent ways. For shame." The animals shook their heads in disappointment, and the Once-ler was reminded of his mother. Glowering it stormed over to the Lorax.

"You listen to me you furry meatloaf, I'm going to chop down as many trees as I want, okay! Newsflash, not _goin'_ anywhere!" Sticking his tongue out at the Lorax, he slammed his door.

"Then you leave me no choice."

He yelped, staggering back and looking down at the Lorax.

"What? How did you-"

"If you are not gone by the time the sun sets on this valley, all the forces of nature, will be unleashed upon you, and _curse you_, until the end of your days. You, have been _warned_." He reached behind him for the doorknob, but was unable to reach it. His fear dissipating, he opened the door for him.

"You _have _been warned.

"Yeah, okay."

"And you won't _believe_ what happened that night."

"What? What?"

The Once-ler scowled. "You kids. So impatient. If you want to hear the rest of the story, come back tomorrow."

Ted glared up at the boarded window, but by now he was used to it. "Fine, I'll be back tomorrow."  
The Once-ler watched him leave, pondering. "He's lasted 8 days. Most would have left by now, wouldn't they?" He looked at the great, great grandfather snail Ted had brought him. "He would. I know it. He must be the one."


	10. UPDATE

((AN: Sorry it's been so long you guys! I suck. This is my first year of high school and it's been really busy, but it's starting to die down so I'm going to start writing again, I promise. Just gotta get back in the zone. I'll write some tonight and I'll bring my notebook to school so I can write more. I promise.  
Sadly, I already wrote a new chapter, but it disappeared.  
Frick you too, computer.))


	11. Chapter 9

"Hey man!"

The Once-ler jerked awake. "I'm sorry!" He cried out before he realized where he was. Shaking his head irritably, he peered through the boards. "Welcome back, Ted."

The boy, looking rather worse for the wear, his brown hair mussed and his pants dirty, hopped off his monocycle, collapsing onto the rock he'd sat at for over a week now.

"What happened to _you_?" the Once-ler inquired.

The boy was out of breath. "O…. 'Hare found out where I've been going. He's cracking down hard."

"O'Hare?" The Once-ler's eyes widened at the name. "What's his first name?"

"Um, Aloysius. He runs O'Hare Air. Our mayor."

"Al? Al knows I'm out here and that you're coming to see me, and he tries to _stop _you, instead of coming out to see me?" His voice raised in agitation before falling victim to a cough attack.

"'Al'? You know O'Hare?"

"Yeah, years ago…. But we're not to that part of the story yet, now are we?" he said wryly, swallowing over a lump in his throat.

"Right, right…."

The only light in the tent came from a flickering candle as the Once-ler sat in his chair, feverishly knitting….something. He bit the thread from the needle and stood, puffing out his chest proudly.

"Now _that's _a thneed," he announced to the empty room as he draped it reverently over the back of the chair. "Nothing unmanly about knitting, no sir," he assured himself as he climbed into bed, blowing out the candle.

Outside his window, the Lorax issued orders to the attentive bar-ba-loots. "When I give the signal, you'll sneak in and carry his bed out. Then, we'll place it in the river, and he'll float away. No harm done."

The bar-ba-loots nodded, and at the guardian of the forest's signal, they snuck in on padded feet. They each grabbed a leg and lifted it, bringing it to the door.

SLAM.

SLAM.

SLAM.

"I…No! You…Ugh! Who taught you how to steal a _bed_? Through the window!" the Lorax face palmed, showing the bar-ba-loots how to do it _properly._

The bed slipped into the water, floating gently down the river. "Job well done, you guys," the Lorax said appreciatively, watching the tall nuisance float away.

"Woo-hoo!" Pipsqueak's head popped up from where he had been huddled beneath the sheets.

"What " the guardian gasped. He turned to the little bar-ba-loots ma. "Can'e swim " She shook her head. "O'course he can't swim! Hold on, Pipsqueak, we're comin' t'getcha!"

Pipsqueak watched them curiously as they ran after the bed as it floated down the river. The bar-ba-loots clambered up a tree to make a chain topped with a Lorax. "C'mon, Pipsqueak! Come t'the Lorax!" Pipsqueak stretched his arms out for the guardian, but…. A truffula fruit caught his eye. Which to choose…

_Crunch._

The Lorax groaned in frustration, slapping his hand over his eyes. "You've got t'be kiddin' me…"

He looked back to watch the bed as it continued down its course, until… The man snored, throwing his leg over the side as he tossed about, switching the direction of the bed from a safe course down to Greenville to the rapids.

"Oooh, that's bad." The animals ran after the bed. "Beanpole! Wake up! Pipsqueak!" The bar-ba-loot looked around I panic before biting his leg.

"Agh!" The Once-ler jerked awake, clutching his bleeding leg. "Wh-what where am I?" Glancing down, he crossed his legs tightly, trying to take in his surroundings.

The bed crashed into a rack, spinning it like a top. It slammed back and forth between rocks like a game of pinball, drenching the bed. The Once-ler grabbed Pipsqueak, holding him tightly against his chest.

"We're in a river."

The bed crashed into the last rock, spinning out into open water. Oncie looked down at the bar-ba-loot, laughing in relief. "Ha ha ha- oh." His tone became dull. "Oh, no." He looked out across the calm water to where their brief respite would end with an enormous waterfall. "Oh no no nono NO!" He frantically tried to paddle away, but his efforts were futile against the roaring falls. He looked around frantically as they neared the edge, but he could see no way out. He grabbed Pipsqueak. "Sorry little guy," he said apologetically before throwing him as hard as he could to the shore.

The baby bar-ba-loot was swarmed. "You okay Pip? Anything hurt?" He shook his head dazedly, his eyes crossed. He got a few bruises, but he was otherwise unharmed. The Lorax sighed in relief. "Well that's taken care o-" He was interrupted by a loud shriek as the bed tumbled over the falls. The Lorax gasped. He forgot! They ran to the edge. "Beanpole!" No trace of the man remained but his scream, still echoing in the night air.

"Oh my god! Did you die "

The Once-ler paused, looking down at the boy incredulously.

"Well, did you?"

He waited for his words to sink in.

"…Oh."

"Yeah, '_oh_'," The man mocked. "Yes, Ted, I'm a ghost."

The boy crossed his arms, puffing his cheeks out irritably. "No need to be so condescending…"

"Yeah yeah yeah. Well, it's getting late. Come back tomorrow, I'll finish the story of my death."

"Whatever…"

Oncie watched him leave. _Al, huh? Sure hope the kid doesn't get hurt, or he'll have me to answer to…_


	12. Chapter 10

"Back already, Ted? Ready to hear about my death?"

"Seriously man? Give it a rest."

The man chuckled wryly. "Maybe."

"Ugh! You're just like Grammy…"

"Well, they all ran down to try to find me, but I was nowhere to be found…"

"Beanpole? BEANPOLE "

The Once-ler floated just below the surface, his eyes half closed.

"_Oncie! You listen 'ere, you little devil! Get y'ur ass in bed!"_

"_But MaMA! I don't wanna!" the 5-year-old Oncie wailed. His mother tried to calm him but the boy, now deep into his tantrum, wouldn't quiet._

"_Dammit Oncie! Shut UP!" Pulling back her hand, Isabella hit the boy as hard as she could. He staggered back, cries instantly ceasing as he stared at his mother with wide, hurt eyes. He spat something into his hand, blood flowing from his mouth._

_Isabella reeled back, looking at her hand in horror. "O-Oncie….I-I-" She ran from her son as he stared in shock at the 3 pristine baby teeth lying in his hand. They wouldn't grow back for another five years._

_It was the first time she'd ever it him. It wouldn't be the last, or the worst._

The man gasped, clutching at his restarted heart as his chest heaved with deep breaths. His teeth throbbed.

"M-Mustache? Y-you saved my life!" He grabbed the Lorax, hugging him tightly.

The guardian chuckled uneasily "Yeah, well…It's no big deal….Heh."

"It is _too_ a big deal! I just went over that _water_fall-" His words halted, his brow furrowing. "Water…Bed…How did my bed get in the ri-vurr…?" He looked at the Lorax in confusion, his tone slightly accusing.

"Ah…Well, you see…" The guardian winced, speaking quickly. "Iputyourbedinthewater."

The man dropped him.

"I didn't mean you any harm! I just wanted to calmly floatcha away!"

Oncie ignored him, standing and walking away.

"Listen! Everyone here needs the trees! And you're choppin' 'em down! Soo, we've got a big problem."

He crossed his arms, thinking. After a moment, he sighed, turning back to look at them. "Look, from here on I vow to never chop down another tree. I promise."

The Lorax puffed out his chest. "Good."

Oncie yawned, stretching. "Whelp, guess I'm going to go to bed, guys. Busy day tomorrow." He walked off cheerily in the direction of his tent.

"…Right after I find my bed."


	13. Chapter 11

The Once-ler shifted in his sleep, turning to face…

The Lorax snored loudly and the Once-ler jerked awake with a rather girly shriek. The Lorax, lying in bed next to him, screamed as well.

Oncie scrambled backwards. He opened his mouth to reprimand him when he caught sight of the rest of the room. Or more specifically, the animals in it. "Question. What are they doing here? And, ah, more importantly, WHAT ARE _YOU _DOING HERE?"

The Lorax laughed nervously. "Well, you see, we found this sock down by the river, and we came here to return it to you. But you were asleep!"

"Yes, and sleep is the body's way, of telling other people, to _go away_."

"I know, I know, but you looked so _cozy_! And it was so _cold _outside, we just settled down. No harm done."

"No harm done? No harm done EEEEUUUUGH _okay_." He stood, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation. He surveyed the damage done, which included, but was not limited to: his fridge completely cleared out, his toothbrush full of Mustache's mustache hair, and all of his cups, bowls, pots, pans, and plates covered in animal, he groaned, throwing his hands up. "You know what! _I _have work to do! Yessir!" He stripped out of his pajamas, pulling on his usual outfit. "_I _have to go out and sell my _thneed_!" He grabbed it from the chair it was draped over, brandishing it theatrically.

The Lorax snorted. "You cut down one of my trees to make THAT piece o'garbage? It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen!" The animals laughed with him and Oncie shrunk slightly. He covered it quickly.

"What? Oooh no you do not get it! _This _is a revolutionary new product! It has a thousand uses! Look! A swimsuit!" He gasped dramatically. "Oh no, mud tracked in your house by uninvited guests? Well the thneed sure comes in handy for that! Whoopadoopadow! But wait, there's more! Thanks to its all-natural micro fibers, the thneed is SUPER absorbant! It can also be used as a hat." He plopped the sobbing-wet thneed on the Lorax's head. He was unamused.

He threw the thneed back at the Once-ler. "Sure, go on! But I'm telling you, _no one _is going to buy that trash!"

Oncie huffed. "Well, _good to know_. Luckily, you _aren't the target market_, weirdo." He grabbed his guitar from where it was propped up on the wall.

"You're bringin' a _guitar_?"

"Oh yeah. Wrote m'self a little jingle. Gon'blow some minds. Gon'sell some thneeds! Yeeeaaaah." He closed the door behind him, hopping onto his wagon and grabbing the reigns. "C'mon, Melvin! To Greenville!"

The ride wasn't long, and he spent the time practicing his jingle, but he wasn't really into it as he strummed the chords, melancholy.

"That's _what you want to do with your life? Oncie it's ridiculous! A piece of garbage, nobody'll buy it!" Isabella laughed derisively._

"_W-well, you never know…If I find the right material-"_

"'_If you find the right material'? Oncie it could be made of clouds and angel tears for all it matters, it'll still be a failure, just like you. When are you planning on 'finding the right material'?"_

"_I-I was going to take Melvin this weeke-"_

"Melvin_ Oh this is _rich_. You know what Oncie? You can take him; go find your magic material for your '_thneed_'. But don't come a'cryin' to us when you're stranded with no money, no food, and no 'thneed'. Get packin' you lazy boy!"_


	14. Chapter 12

((Sorry it's been so long guys! I got ALL my electronics taken away, so I can only type it up if I get out of 2nd hour early and run to the library. I'm trying though!))

The Once-ler looked around excitedly, thneed in hand. He hopped off the cart, walking into a gazebo, pulling the obstinate Melvin to stand beside him. A sign on the mule's back proudly proclaimed 'Thneeds! Only $3.98!'.

He strummed a few chords on his guitar, swallowing nervously. "Uh…H-hello?" His quiet voice went ignored. "H-hello people of Greenville!" A few people looked up, but no one stopped. Optimism undiminished, Oncie continued his spiel. "I am the Once-ler, inventor of a revolutionary new product! This, ladies and gentlemen, is a _thneed_. Now, what is a thneed you may ask? Well…"

People were beginning to gather, but their whispers were not friendly.

_"Once-ler? In't that Isabella's son?"_

_ "The screwup."_

_ "Looks just like 'is deadbeat dad 'e does."_

_ "What is that garbage he's tryin' t'sell us?"_

_ "Get out, kid, stop disappointin' you Ma!"_

_ Stop disappointin' your Ma…_

_ Stop disappointin' you Ma…_

_ Stop…_

_ Ten-year-old Oncie sobbed, his shoulder blazing in agony. "I'm sorry, Mama! I-I-"_

_ "You WHAT, Oncie__ You're 'sowwy'? You _failed_ a test! This will reflect badly on _my_ parenting! Stop disappointin' your Ma! It's that damned knittin' it is! _Boys_ don't _knit_!"_

_ "I-it was an accident! I-I just got a few things mixed up!"_

_ "_Don't talk back to me_!" Isabella's voice was suddenly very calm. "You're a very bad boy, Oncie. Do you know what happens to bad boys?"_

_ He whimpered. "I-I don't-"_

_ Her arm jerked back._

Crack.

_He screamed._

Oncie slept in his wagon that night. And the night after that, and the night after that. He got pelted with tomatoes, jeered at. One little girl even broke his guitar. He almost cried, but a little duct tape and some retuning and it was good as new! _Good as new_, that's what he told himself.

"They're just taking a little while to warm up to me," he told Melvin that night as he patched up his guitar. "It's just a little ahead of its time, they'll arm up to me! I'll try again tomorrow…"

Melvin seemed to roll his eyes. The Once-ler sneered at the mule and wrapped himself in his blanket as he sat propped up on his seat.

His optimism began to waver, but never falter, until the 12th day…

"FINE! Y'know what, I am _done _with this thing!" The crowd all 'aww'ed, rotten tomatoes still in hand. "C'mon, Melvin, we're leaving." The Once-ler grabbed the reigns, leading the mule to the wagon. He looked down at the thneed in his hands. Covered in tomato.

"My family was right…I _QUIT!_" And with that, he threw his hopes and dreams as far away as he could.

"They threw _tomatoes _at you for trying to sell your sneed?"

"THNEED! It's a _thneed_. And yes. All I did was play my guitar, sing my song. They just took up the offensive." The old Once-ler sighed sadly. "It's getting late, Ted. I'll see you tomorrow."

The boy looked around. "Hey, how come you always know when it's time for me to go? It doesn't seem to get any lighter or darker out here."

The Once-ler shrugged. "I've been up here 30 years. I've learned. See ya tomorra', Ted."


	15. Chapter 13 FINALLY

((AN: HEY! Wow it's been ages. School got seriously stressful and busy, and then I was busy with camp and volunteer work... Overall just not much time, but it's really no excuse. But nonetheless, I'll be back now (hopefully)!))

The Once-ler sighed, looking up from the reigns in his hands, calloused from all the guitar playing, as he crested the hill his little house sat upon. He smiled slightly, a sad smile. "Home sweet home," he mumbled under his breath. Melvin snorted and shook his head, speeding up his trot. The Lorax looked up from where he was playing with a few bar-ba-loots. He grinned as he saw the wagon coming towards them. "Hey, beanpole! Where's your thneed, y'sell it?"

Oncie hopped off his seat, getting to work unhooking Melvin from the carriage to avoid looking at the Lorax. "Ah, no, I didn't. I guess it's, um, ahead of it's time, or, something..." His voice trailed off and his shoulders tensed as he prepared for the criticism and mocking sure to come.

"Hey, you gave it your best shot! What more can you do?" He continued brushing the smallest bar-ba-loot, not a trace of sarcasm or scorn in his fatherly voice. The Once-ler's eyes widened and he looked back at him. "Wha-... You mean-... You're not-..."

The Lorax looked at him in confusion. "I'm not what? You did your best, it was your first try wasn't it? No one strikes success on the first try. Just because the thneed wasn't to be doesn't mean your next product won't be!" Nodding approvingly at how that came out, he went back to Pipsqueak. The Once-ler stared at him for a moment before a smile spread across his young face. His posture was relaxed now and he released Melvin, kicking a rock behind the wheel of the wagon. "Hey, Mustache-"

The Lorax looked up. "What is it?"

"I, um... What I mean to say it... Well..." Oncie rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, trying to figure out how to phrase this. "...thankyou." The forest guardian rolled his eyes, fatherly smile back on his face. He pretended to clean out his nonexistent ear, cupping his hand behind where it would be. "I'm sorry, I don't think I heard that correctly? What was that, Beanpole?" The Once-ler flushed and he stuck his tongue out. "You heard me just fine, you old fart." He huffed and stomped into his house, but he couldn't hide his small smile when the door closed behind him.

"Whoooo is _up _for _ninths_?" The Once-ler spun around, a heaping plate of pancakes on his hand and his pink apron around his waist. Most of the animals were stuffed, but a few still clamored for more. The Lorax groaned and struggled to sit up, stomach engorged with the past eighths. "Pass'm over, Beanpole." The Once-ler grinned, winking and pointing at them. "Yeahahah, see?" He began to pass it over when there was a knock at the door. The plate slipped from his hands and he lunged to catch it but missed, plate shattering on the floor. The bar-ba-loots immediately grabbed pancakes as the man looked at the Lorax in shock. "Y-you heard that too ri-"

_Knock knock knock!_

_ Hello? Once-ler? _

He gingerly crossed over to the door, opening it slowly. Or, he tried to anyways. A woman immediately barged in, a thick wad of bills in her hand. "I will give you a hundred dollars for one of those sneeds!"

"Wha-"

A man shoved her aside. "I'll give you TWO hundred dollars for a _fneed_." He shot the woman a haughty look.

"A-actually it's a-"

Another woman pushed through, followed by a little boy and, surprisingly enough, the very same little girl who had broken his guitar. Taller than everyone else by at least his head and shoulders, he peered out the door to see what looked like the entire town who had earlier been ridiculing him. Everyone had various amounts of money, waving the green bills in the air as the yelled over each other about how much they would pay for his 'sneeds', 'needs', 'shneeds', or however else they were pronouncing it. "H-hey, wai-... Could everyone just-... QUIET!" Everyone was immediately silenced, looking at him expectantly. He instantly went deer-in-headlights. "U-um, you see-... Well, first off it's a thneed. Not a... whatever else you guys were saying." Everyone was completely attentive, eyes starry, and he felt himself straightening up. _I could get used to this_. "And, secondly, if you want a thneed, it's only..." _3.98 3.98 3.98 _"ten bucks a thneed. Pink, that is. Fifteen dollars for a custom color." The customers crowed their delight, already throwing their money at him. "Can I have a phone, someone?" Thirty phones were suddenly thrust in his direction. He took on, dialing in his mother's number and putting it to his ear, hand on his hip and chest proudly thrust out.

The Lorax frowned, watching him warily. The boy had gone from gangly kid to a tall, proud, almost _intimidating_ businessman. A sneaking suspicion niggling in the back of his mind, he turned to shoo the animals from the Once-ler's house. "Be careful, Beanpole," he mumbled under his breath.


	16. Chapter 14

"And so, I called up my mother and the rest of my family to come by. After all, truffula harvesting takes a lot of work! They didn't believe me at first, but I put the phone on speaker and had the crowd chant. As soon as they realized I wasn't a rotten liar (which here means they realized there was money involved), they were gone. They arrived just a few hours later."

"_ONCIE_, is that _you_?!" A slender, pretty woman stepped elegantly out of the RV she had arrived in. One of her twin sons held out his arm for her to hold while a short man, her brother-in-law, was on his hands and knees to make an extra step. The Once-ler immediately straightened up at her voice, hands clasped behind his back. The Lorax, standing behind him, frowned at the change in the boy's posture. _It's almost like he's... _afraid _of her._

Her pretty pink lips curved into a smile as she stepped off Uncle Ubb's back. The short man stood again, cracking his back with a muffled groan of pain. The twins ran off to 'play' with the bar-ba-loots as their mother hugged their baby brother tightly. The Lorax's frown deepened at how the boy flinched at her touch. "Oooh I am so _proud _of you! I always knew ya had it in ya, didn't we?" Her heavy southern drawl gave her words a light lilt, and she shot her sister and brother-in-law a glare.

"..._Hey_, I love this guy!" Uncle Ubb finally spoke up, opening his arms wide with an equally wide smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. The Once-ler laughed nervously. "But you always said I'd never amount to anything, remember?" His mother flapped a hand at him, her tone becoming significantly more dangerous. "Oh, you hush yer mouth, we were just tryin'a motivate you." He nodded quickly. "That's really good to know because it actually hurt my feeling for a really _really _long time." She arched a finely sculpted brow. "What did I tell you about feelings, Oncie?"

The Once-ler flinched away. "I-I remember, Ma."

_I've seen enough_. The Lorax stepped between the two. "Okay, nice to meet you all, goodbye." They all looked at him in slight confusion. "Who invited the giant furry _peanut_?" Aunt Grizelda, a hulking woman, snorted, handing her tiny husband her bag. The Lorax bristled. "Peanut?! I'll go right up your nose!" They advanced towards each other. The Once-ler quickly grabbed the forest guardian by the scruff of his neck, pulling him back. "Oookay, you can all just cool it. Mustache, this is my family. Family, this is my friend-"

"Acquaintance."

The Once-ler looked at him in surprise, withdrawing his hands as a very distinct look of hurt flashed across his face. "Acquaintance, then. The Lorax. He speaks for the trees." His voice was colder now, and the Lorax felt slightly concerned. _Oops._

The Once-ler stood, a harsher expression in place. "Well, you're all here, and you all work for me now, so let's get started. Gather as many truffula tufts as you can." His family didn't move, confused at the sudden change that had come over their weakling little Oncie. The lines between his brows deepened. "What are you waiting for? Go!" Grumbling in irritation, Aunt Grizelda herded Uncle Ubb over to the trees. Isabella barked out, "BRETT! CHETT! GIT OVER HERE!" The twins dropped the bar-ba-loot, racing over to their mother. "Go help yer aunt'n uncle set up! I'll be in the RV."

The Once-ler gave them all a brief instruction on how to harvest the tufts before walking back to his little house, sprawling out in the little rocking chair in front. The Lorax crept up, placing a furry hand on his knee. "Kid?" The boy jumped with a girly shriek before huffing, sinking back into his chair. "You scared me. And I'm not a kid. I'm nineteen."

"Yeah yeah yeah. You know I didn't mean any... offense. When I-"

"Whatever. I wasn't offended."

"I think you were."

The Once-ler narrowed his eyes. "Are you calling me a liar?"

"No! I'm just-"

"I don't care, Mustache! So keep your apologies to yourself." He stood up abruptly, shoving the Lorax aside and slamming his house door behind him.


End file.
